Jerusalem - Mt. Pleasant Church and Parsonage
Location: 21 and 17 Wood Lane
— Rockville's African American Heritage Walking Tour —
Racial tensions between African-American and white Methodist church members peaked immediately before the Civil War. Pro-slavery parishioners joined the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1863. White parishioners of the Rockville Methodist Episcopal Church entered the front door to sit in the sanctuary, while African-Americans used a separate entrance and sat upstairs in the gallery. Some African-American worshipers listened outside from the windows. By 1868, the African-Americans owned this property and renamed their church "Jerusalem."
The church was substantially rebuilt in 1892 and for several years housed Rockville's African-American students after the elementary school burned. It was the site of graduation ceremonies for African-American schools through the 1950s and is also where the Montgomery County branch of the NAACP was organized in 1937.
The Parsonage was built in 1912 from trees harvested by the congregation at a church-owned lot in Poolesville. It continued as a parsonage until 1986 when the church purchased a new parsonage. It then became Cordelia House, a woman's resource center. In 1999, Cordelia House was damaged by fire caused by arson. It was extensively restored in 2005 and is in use today. These two buildings are among the few remaining historic church and parsonage units left in
Montgomery County. The traditional vernacular style of the parsonage is one of the few remaining examples of this house type in Rockville's Town Center.Erected by City of Rockville, Historic District Commission, Department of Community Planning and Development Services. (Marker Number 8.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Churches & Religion • Education. In addition, it is included in the Maryland, Rockville's African American Heritage Walking Tour series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.
Location. 39° 5.153′ N, 77° 9.226′ W. Marker is in Rockville, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker is on Wood Lane just west of North Washington Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21 Wood Ln, Rockville MD 20850, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hebron House and Print Shop (a few steps from this marker); Rockville Methodist Episcopal Church - Jerusalem Mount Pleasant United United Methodist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Galilean Temple (within shouting distance of this marker); Lucy Simpson's Rockville Institute (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line);
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 189 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.